Afternoon News Update, 9/29/20

By Mickey Hutchings

In campus news, university dining is cutting back on sustainable practices in order to accommodate its budget and protect students against the novel coronavirus. Disposable cutlery and individually packaged condiments are now offered so multiple individuals aren’t in contact with the same item, according to The Appalachian. Plastic foam was also reintroduced, replacing compostable containers, after the UNC System instructed schools to cut its expenses.

Locally, Watauga County has recently surpassed 1,000 total cases of COVID-19 since the outbreak began in the United States earlier this year. Students comprise nearly half of the total coronavirus cases. Currently, there are 216 active cases in the county, and at least 159 of those cases are students, according to The Appalachian. Since classes at App State began in August, several clusters have been announced by the university. Clusters are defined by the North Carolina department of health and human services as at least five cases identified within 14 days that may be linked. So far, clusters have appeared in residence halls, sororities and sports teams. To keep up with Watauga County and App State’s coronavirus counts, visit AppHealthCare and the university’s websites.

In national news, President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden will go face-to-face tonight in their first debate in the race for the white house. The debate will take place in Cleveland, Ohio from 9 to 10:30 PM eastern time. “Fox News Sunday” anchor Chris Wallace is moderating the event. The debate will air commercial-free on every major news network, and is expected to rack in at least 100 million views, according to the New York Times. The longstanding tradition of moderators and candidates shaking hands won’t be seen tonight due to coronavirus considerations.